Bike for Newbie lady

Jude13

My OH is keen to get on the bike but doesnt have one so I am looking at getting her one as a christmas pressie.

Her only experience is as a kid, and spinning classes. We will be cycling on a closed cycle path, it about 50km.

She has never had a race bike so I was thinking of getting her a race bike with striaght handle bars and pedals which were not clip on for the start. Then add when she is more confident. Knowing her, day 2.

Cheers

Taxuser1

Wasn't she a bit young doing spinning classes ?

Get her the works from the start. Buy her cycling shoes or MTB hybrids with cleats for walking/riding. Might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb. Get her the drops as well. Straight handlebars are for commuters.

Have you thought of a power meter ?

Mattie500

My wife started with an aluminium giant bike with drop bars... it did have an extra set of brake levers so she didn't have to be on the hoods. This was great while she got into cycling and built confidence. Good idea to start with normal pedals. One thing, make sure it has a good ladies saddle.

listermint

Taxuser1 wrote: »

Wasn't she a bit young doing spinning classes ?

Get her the works from the start. Buy her cycling shoes or MTB hybrids with cleats for walking/riding. Might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb. Get her the drops as well. Straight handlebars are for commuters.

Have you thought of a power meter ?

Solid advice there, Cleats and Drops and straight handlebars are for commuters! for someone starting out on a bike. :rolleyes:


OP lose the cleats keep them standard, buy something light aluminium / light alloy as a minimum. I would not go down the roadbike route as a starter, they are unwieldy and will put people right off if they are only starting.

Something light upright and depending on how she feels about them a ladies cross bar may not suit. slight angle perhaps.

Dont go over board though on the price or the bike because is she enjoys it she may want to progress rapidly into something more expensive and perhaps on to cleats etc.

Taxuser1

listermint wrote: »

Solid advice there, Cleats and Drops and straight handlebars are for commuters! for someone starting out on a bike. :rolleyes:


OP lose the cleats keep them standard, buy something light aluminium / light alloy as a minimum. I would not go down the roadbike route as a starter, they are unwieldy and will put people right off if they are only starting.

Something light upright and depending on how she feels about them a ladies cross bar may not suit. slight angle perhaps.

Dont go over board though on the price or the bike because is she enjoys it she may want to progress rapidly into something more expensive and perhaps on to cleats etc.

I thought it was solid enough advice.

I would always back being locked into the bike (via cleats and clipless pedals) than not and having the foot going down every second you brake. In winter, one's more likely to skid, flail a leg and ultimately crash when balance is awry - the nervier riders are hit the worst. His OH can get plenty practice in before hitting a road up and down an estate. His wife's confidence turnaround time was overnight according to the poster so no harm to go get the works from the start if she's likely to be a speedster after a day.

By the way, it's a lovely thoughtful Xmas present. Maybe though and I say this with respect, be careful not to patronise your wife by making her second bike a carbon copy of her first kid's bike. has she a mind to be doing more lengthy spins? Has she given inclinations to joining up with a club? Maybe she has a mind already to what she might wish to ride and then you present her with a high nelly.

Christmas would be ruined.

listermint

Taxuser1 wrote: »

I thought it was solid enough advice.

I would always back being locked into the bike (via cleats and clipless pedals) than not and having the foot going down every second you brake. In winter, one's more likely to skid, flail a leg and ultimately crash when balance is awry - the nervier riders are hit the worst. His OH can get plenty practice in before hitting a road up and down an estate. His wife's confidence turnaround time was overnight according to the poster so no harm to go get the works from the start if she's likely to be a speedster after a day.

By the way, it's a lovely thoughtful Xmas present. Maybe though and I say this with respect, be careful not to patronise your wife by making her second bike a carbon copy of her first kid's bike. has she a mind to be doing more lengthy spins? Has she given inclinations to joining up with a club? Maybe she has a mind already to what she might wish to ride and then you present her with a high nelly.

Christmas would be ruined.

You would always advice being locked into pedal for a nervy leaner rider.

Can't tell if this is satire or serious.

Jude13

I'll be selectively taking advice from this thread...

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I would advise getting a starter road bike, with a saddle that has a cut out (although saddles are completely personal preference. I can't get on with non cut out men's saddles at all, unless the saddle is too low). Get flat pedals to start, but go with a road bike. Maybe get one second hand and she can upgrade when she knows what she wants. You describe her as someone who likes to get stuck into things so I'd go straight for the road bike.

Ultimately it's no different than buying a bike for a novice man. Crossbar talk etc. Is rubbish. I cycle in skirts and dresses almost every day with regular crossbars and it doesn't matter one bit.

Something with mudguards for winter so she's not covered in shyte this weather!

custom_build

listermint wrote: »

I would not go down the roadbike route as a starter, they are unwieldy and will put people right off if they are only starting.

Well don't take that advice anyway...

Jude13

gadetra wrote: »

I would advise getting a starter road bike, with a saddle that has a cut out (although saddles are completely personal preference. I can't get on with non cut out men's saddles at all, unless the saddle is too low). Get flat pedals to start, but go with a road bike. Maybe get one second hand and she can upgrade when she knows what she wants. You describe her as someone who likes to get stuck into things so I'd go straight for the road bike.

Ultimately it's no different than buying a bike for a novice man. Crossbar talk etc. Is rubbish. I cycle in skirts and dresses almost every day with regular crossbars and it doesn't matter one bit.

Something with mudguards for winter so she's not covered in shyte this weather!

Cheers for that, we're living in Dubai at the moment so I'l leave the mud guards.
Cheers about the crossbar I wouldnt have clue. She will be cycling in lycra and not commuting or anything.

Taxuser1

listermint wrote: »

You would always advice being locked into pedal for a nervy leaner rider.

Can't tell if this is satire or serious.

the piece about the power meter was probably satire.

However, at no stage did the OP say his OH was nervy or a learner, quite the opposite, he expects her to be confident. That's beside the point though. He and his OH have 50 kms of closed cycleway so why not have an optimum pedaling action when there's no need/likelihood to put the foot down?

Why is there such a fear about cleats and pedals? One of the most basic mechanical things to do.

The obvious is that one needs to be in complete control of yourself and bike before heading out onto a busy road. So mastering cleat action is a tiny portion of overall bike control and safety. The beauty with being locked in is that it enables left and right balance on a bike, it can keep you in a straight line. Your own motor skills tell you when to slow, then when to stop. Why can't clicking out be put in that motion?

I held skills courses for the club and many of the ladies, some beginners, some more experienced had the same fear- falling, cleats or no cleats, . The greater point was being missed. If you're in fear of falling then you're not concentrating on your situation on the road. It doesn't matter if you're clipped in or not, your safety is already compromised.

Jude13

I'll go with flat pedals first, just for financial outlay re shoes etc.

It's a handy switch.

petethedrummer

listermint wrote: »

I would not go down the roadbike route as a starter, they are unwieldy and will put people right off if they are only starting.

1. Hold your hands out in front of you as if you were riding a hybrid.

2. Rotate both wrists outwards 90 degress.

Congratulations, you can now ride a road bike.:)

listermint

custom_build wrote: »

Well don't take that advice anyway...

I have 2 Road Bikes and a commuter , im cycling since i was a kid.

It may actually surprise you somewhat but Road Bikes do not handle the same as a commuter bike. It might actually burst peoples bubbles here to know that learners may not actually take well to a road bikes setup and yes unwieldy handing (They are dam light which can make them skittish like a pony).

Not everyone has been riding bikes continously since they were a kid as the OP has already stated. I would not buy one for a learner unless that is actually what she wants to do.

Has any of you asked if she wants to use the bike for that purpose ?

Appears to me she just wants a bike. So why recommend a roadbike ? boggles.

listermint

petethedrummer wrote: »

1. Hold your hands out in front of you as if you were riding a hybrid.

2. Rotate both wrists outwards 90 degress.

Congratulations, you can now ride a road bike.:)

Not quite.